In U.S. Pat. No. 9,517,491 a method and apparatus for sorting was described, and wherein real-time sorting decisions are accomplished by means of an arrangement which allowed for the selective actuating of detection devices in a predetermined order, and in real-time, so as to prevent interference in the operation of the respective, selectively actuated detection devices, and thereafter delivering detection device signals to an appropriately positioned ejection device, and which is effective in removing a defective or undesirable object from a stream of products which are being sorted. The disclosed invention permits objects or products having defects to be removed from a product stream in a particularly advantageous manner which was not possible, heretofore. The method and apparatus, as described in the previous patent, allows an associated controller, to build a multi-dimensioned feature space having multiple levels or types of sorting information which facilitates an overall increased accuracy in the resulting sorting decisions made by the mass-flow sorting device.
While the method and apparatus as described in the aforementioned U.S. patent, and other related patents, have worked with a great deal of success, developers of this same technology have continued to conduct further research to uncover other means by which such sorting machines, or similar devices, may generate increasingly accurate sorting statistics, and/or other meaningful user information, in order to enhance the ability of such sorting devices to accurately sort a stream of objects, such as food products, or perform desired sorting functions so as to permit an end-user to supply different grades of products to a customer. Further the present invention as described, hereinafter, permits sorting decisions to be made at an earlier point in time, in the sorting process, and where identified undesirable objects, or defective products can be effectively removed from a product stream, before the product or object reaches a location where the identified undesirable object or defective product cannot be acted upon by an appropriately oriented ejector. In short, the methodology, as described, hereinafter, allows for a real-time ejection or removal of an undesirable object or defective product to take place based, in whole or in part, upon partial object data, or other information which has been collected from the product stream by the methodology as described, hereinafter. This type of sorting has not been possible, heretofore, with existing, commercially available, technology.
A method and apparatus for sorting which avoids the detriments associated with various prior art teachings and practices utilized, heretofore, is the subject matter of the present application.